Decompression device



P 1958 J. H'dVEL 2,850,002

DECOMPBESSION DEVICE Filed Dec. 27, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 & m.

Sept. 2, 1958 J. H6vEL DECOMPRESSION DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 27, 1955 Sept. 2, 1958 J. HESVEI.

DECOMPRESSION DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 27, 1955 w R My 0 r W V A $7 J J. HOVEL DECOMPRESSION DEVICE Sept. 2, 1958 Filed Dec. 27, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 aw v k United States Patent DEcoMPREssroN DEVICE Josef Hiivel, deceased, late of Koln-Dellbruck, Germany,

by Margareta E. Hovel, heir, Koln-Dellbruck, Germany, assignor to IGiickner-Humboldt-Deutz Aktiengesellschaft, Koln, Germany Application December 27, 1955, Serial No. 586,412

Claims priority, application Germany December 30, 1954 14 Claims. ((31. 123182) the respective valves are automatically lowered or returned into their operative positions.

With the heretofore known devices of this type, rotatably journaled control shafts are provided which are perpendicular or parallel to the cam shaft and which prior to the starting of the internal combustion engine are manually turned into a position in which the valve opens through the intervention of a radial cam or face cammounted on the control shaft which cam acts upon any one of the actuating elements for the respective valve as for instance the tappet or the rocker arm. When thereupon the engine is cranked, the control shaft by means of a Geneva cross-like or similar step-wise actuating drive is moved by steps into its inoperative position in which the cam of the control shaft releases the actuating elements of the valve. The drive of the control shaft is effected by means of an abutment pin fixed to the cam shaft.

Heretofore known decompression devices of the above mentioned type have the drawback that one of the directions of rotation of the control shaft has to be blocked in order to prevent a rotation of the control shaft from the operative position into the wrong direction. Furthermore, an accidental starting of the decompression device while the engine is running may easily cause damage to the decompression device and also injure the operator. Moreover, if with the heretofore known decompression devices the operating lever should meet an. obstruction, the entire decompression device will break.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a decompression device for use in connection with the starting of internal combustion engines, which will overcome the above mentioned drawbacks.

It is another object of this invention to provide a decompression device as set forth in the preceding paragraph, which is fool-proof and cannot be actuated in a manner which might cause damage to the device.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a decompression device for use in connection with the starting of internal combustion engines, in which the manual actuation of the device can be effected in one direction only.

A still further object of this invention consists in the provision of a decompression device of the above men tioned type, in which the starting of the decompression device even when the engine is running will not cause any damage to the engine nor injury to the operator.

ice

It is also an object of this invention to provide a decompression device of the type above referred to, in which the decompression device will automatically remain ineffective if the actuating means for the decompression device should meet an obstruction.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figs. 1 to 6 show one embodiment of a decompression device according to the invention while Figs. 7 to 10 show another embodiment of the present invention.

More specifically, Figs. 1 to 4 show at the rightside thereof a longitudinal section through the .actuatingbolt arranged perpendicular to the cam sha'ft, while the left portions of Figs. 1 to 4 illustrate a section along the line 11-11 of Fig. 5 but different stages of the decom-' pression mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a partial view of Fig. 1 seen in the direction.

of the arrow C of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a view of an individual part seen in the direction of the arrow D of Fig. 1. Figs. 7 to 9 show on the right-hand sides tions through the actuating bolt, while the left-hand sides of Figs. 7 to 9 represent sections taken along the line E-F of Fig. 10 but illustrate the different positions of the decompression mechanism.

Fig. 10 is a partial view of Fig. 7 seen in the direction:

of the arrow G of Fig. 7.

I General arrangement In contrast to the heretofore known decompression devices, the decompression device according to the present invention is, instead of having a rotatably adjustable only but is not rotatable.

causes a wedge-shaped finger to move between the valve tappet and that cylindrical portion of the cam shaft which is located directly adjacent to the cam pertaining thereto whereby the tappet is lifted off from its cam. Naturally, the diameter of the tappet or its width in axial direction of the cam shaft must be wider than the widthof the cam in order that it can be engaged by the wedge-shaped finger interposed between the respective tappet and that cylindrical portion of the cam shaft which is adjacent to the respective cam.

The bolt is provided with a locking or ratchet mechanism which becomes effective after a certain stroke of the bolt to thereby prevent the spring actingnpon the bolt from returning the bolt to its starting positron. This locking or ratchet mechanism is by means of an abutment provided on the circumference of the cam shaft, moved by steps until it becomes ineffective. by means of the spring is moved away from the cam shaft and withdraws the wedge-shaped finger from between the ratchet and the cam shaft, whereupon the valve is actuated in conformity with the design of the cam.

While with the heretofore known decompression devices one of the directions of rotation of thecontrol' shaft has to be blocked in order to prevent the control shaft from being turned in the wrong direction when the decompression device is to be made ineffective, the displacement of the bolt according to the present invention into ineffective position is possible only in one direction.

Furthermore, if accidentally the decompression device according to the present invention were made effective while the engine is running, this wouldnot do any harm,

thereof sec- Thereupon, the bolt to the mechanism nor to the operator. Another advantage of the present invention consists in that if the control bolt were to meet some obstruction, the device would not break but the compression would be merely delayed until such obstruction has been eliminated. It should be noted that with the heretofore known decompression devices the control shaft is automatically actuated by the cam shaft, whereas according to the present invention the cam shaft moves the locking or ratchet mechanism only which locks the control bolt until the decompression mechanism has been made ineffective. in other words the return of the bolt to its inoperative position is effected solely by a spring associated therewith but not by the cam shaft. Provided that the construction and arrangement of the internal combustion engine will permit, the simplest construction of the decompression device according to the present invention, is obtaine when the axis of the control bolt is offset relative to the axis of the valve tappet pertaining thereto by 90 about the cam shaft axis and when the wedge-shaped finger is directly connected to the control bolt. in order to cornpensate for any inaccuracies in the installation of the journalling of the bearings for the cam shaft and the control bolt, which inaccuracies might otherwise affect the position between the wedge-shaped finger and the valve tappet pertaining thereto thus aifecting the decompression stroke, the wedge-shaped finger is preferably connected to the control bolt so as to be rotatable about an axis which is perpendicular to the axis of the bolt but parallel to the axis of the cam shaft.

With internal combustion engines in which the arrangement of the bolt relative to the valve tappet in the manner described above is not possible, in other words, where the axis of the bolt is to be oifset with regard to the axis of the valve tappet by more than 90 about tne axis of the cam shaft, the wedge-shaped finger is bent in such a way that it catches around the cam shaft in a hook like manner. In this instance the wedge-shaped finger is not rotatably journalled on the bolt but about a stationary axis. The tilting of said finger is effected by means of a pin inserted into the bolt perpendicular to the axis of the bolt and through the intervention of a roiler which, when the bolt is displaced, presses upon the edge of the finger.

Structural arrangement Referring now to the drawings in detail and Figs. 1 to 6 thereof in particular, the arrangement shown therein comprises an engine casing 1 having journalled therein a sleeve 2 which is continuously urged toward the left with regard to Fig. 1 by means of a spring 3. However, the sleeve 2 can be moved toward the right against the thrust of spring 3. A pin 4 supported by the stationary engine casing 1 engages a notch 2' in the flange of the sleeve 2 so as to prevent the sleeve 2 from effecting any rotation in either direction. It will be appreciated that actually the pin 4 and notch 2 are located outside the plane of drawing but are shown in this plane only for purpose of clarity. The leftward movement of the sleeve 2 is limited by a spring ring 5 mounted in a groove of the sleeve 2 and arranged to abut a cutout S in the engine casing 1.

Mounted within the sleeve 2 is a control bolt 6. The control bolt 6 is provided at its right-hand end with a groove which is engaged by a spring ring 6. interposed between the spring ring 6' and the adjacent end of the sleeve 2 is a spring 7 which continuously urges the bolt 6 into Fig. 4 position, i. e. into its outermost right-hand position. The bolt 6 is, however, movable toward the left against the thrust of spring 7. A rotative movement of bolt 6 within the sleeve 2 is prevented by a pin 9 exr tending into an axial groove 8 provided in the bolt 6. The front end of the bolt 6 carries a shaft 12 upon which is tiltably mounted a wedge-shaped finger 13. The shaft 12 is parallel to the axis 10 of the cam shaft 11. As will be evident from Figs. 1 to 3, when the control bolt 6 moves toward the cam shaft 11, the finger 13 will slide between the valve tappet 16 and that cylindrical portion of the cam shaft 11 which is directly adjacent to the cam 14 normally cooperating with the tappet 16.

Also rotatably mounted on the shaft 12 is a ratchet disc 18 which is movable in a slot 17 of the bolt 6. This ratchet disc has that portion of its circumference which is adjacent the cam shaft 11, provided with recesses 19:: and 19b adapted to be engaged by the cam 14 when the bolt 6 occupies its innermost position. T he rear circumferential portion 20a of the ratchet disc 13 and the circumferential portion 20b of a nose 21 pertaining to the ratchet disc are arched along circles having their center of curvature located on the axis of rotation of the ratchet disc, said axis of rotation coinciding with the axis of the shaft 12. The sleeve 2 has a cutout 22 with an arched bottom the center of curvature of which bottom is likewise located on the axis of rotation of the ratchet disc 18. As will be seen from Fig. 6, however, the width of this cutout is somewhat greater than the width of the ratchet disc 13. A bending spring 23 continuously the ratchet disc 18 to turn in clockwise direction. The bending spring 23 is centered at the shaft 12 of the ratchet disc 18 and is connected on one hand with a bent end of the bolt 6 and on the other hand to a pin 24 which is inserted into the ratchet disc 15. The pin 24 acts as abutment for the ratchet disc 13 inasmuch as it rests against an abutment surface 25 of the bolt 6 as is clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Operation Operation of the device is as follows: prior to the starting of the internal combustion engine, the decompression device occupies its rest position shown in Fig. 4. In this rest position, the bolt 6 due to the spring 7 occupies its right-hand outermost position. The wedge shaped finger 13 is withdrawn from between the cam shaft 11 and the valve tappet 16. The ratchet disc 18 is held in the position shown in Fig. 4 by means of the nose 21 against the thrust of the bending spring 23, said nose extending into the guiding bore 26 of the sleeve 2 for the control bolt 6. The circumferential portion of the ratchet disc 18 with the ratchet cutouts 1% and 19b is in this position outside the range of movement of the cam 14.

Prior to starting the internal combustion engine, the decompression device is put into action by displacing the bolt 6 from the outside, for instance manually against the thrust of the spring 7. As soon as during this displacement, the nose 21 of the ratchet disc 18 leaves the guiding bore 16, the ratch t disc 18 due to the bending spring 23 jumps into the position shown in Fig. l and determined by the pin 24. The wedge-shaped finger 13 then occupies a position between the cam shaft 11 and the valve tappet 16 and lifts the valve tappet 16 to such an extent that the respective valve pertaining thereto is open. During the first revolution of the cam shaft in the direction indicated by the arrow 27, the cam 14 enters the ratchet cutout 19a of the disc 18 and moves the latter in counterclockwise direction into the position shown in Fig. 2. In this position, similar to the starting position, the ratchet disc 18 is locked against the thrust of the bending spring 23. This locking is effected by the friction between the arcuate circumferential portions 20a and 20b and the arcuate bottom of the cutout 22 in the sleeve 2. The

' force for producing this friction is furnished by the spring 7 which tends to pull the control bolt 6 and thereby the disc 18 outwardly, i. e. toward the right with regard to the drawings. This locking arrangement simultaneously prevents spring 7 from withdrawing finger 13 from between the tappet 16 and cam 14. The position of the bolt 6 and thus of the wedge-shaped finger 13 is not changed during the advancing movement of the disc 13. Inasmuch as the shape of the cam 14 is not in conformity with the cutouts 19a and 1912, the depth of the cutouts 19a and 19b is so selected that the cam 14 when carrying out its rotative movement will when engaging the cutouts 19a, 19]) hit the bottom of said cutouts. The minor increase required in thfs connection in the distance between the cam shaft axis and the axis of rotation of the ratchet disc 18 is obtained by the displacement of the bolt 6 together with the sleeve 2 against the thrust of the spring 3.

With the next revolution of the cam shaft 11, the cam 14 enters the cutout 19b and rotates the ratchet disc 18 into the position shown in Fig. 3. During this rotation, the position of the bolt 6 and thus of the wedge-shaped finger 13 still remains the same. The ratchet disc 18 is locked due to the fact that the circumferential surface 20b of its nose 21 is pressed against the arcuate surface of the cutout 22. During the next following revolution of the cam shaft 11, the cam 14 hits upon the outer surface 28 of the ratchet disc 18 and rotates the same in counter-clockwise direction by a further distance. Now the nose 21 of the ratchet disc 18 arrives in front of the mouth of the guiding bore 26 so that the abutment effect of the ratchet disc 18 for the bolt 6 is eliminated. Consequently the bolt 6 together with the wedge-shaped finger 13 and the ratchet disc 18 is returned to its starting posi.

tion of Fig. 4 by the spring 7. The operation of the valve tappet 16 is now effected in conformity with the design of the cam 14.

The diameter of the valve tappet 16 is shown in Fig. 5 by a dot dash line and is designated with the reference numeral 16a. As will be evident from Fig. 5, the diameter of the valve tappet 16 is greater than the width of the cam 14 in axial direction. This arrangement makes it possible to crank the front portion of the finger 13 so as to allow the same to catch beneath the tappet 16.

The yieldable journalling of the sleeve 2 has the advantage that the decompression device according tothe invention cannot be damaged when the internal combustion engine is cranked in the wrong direction. The wrong direction of rotation is indicated in Fig. 1 by the arrow 29. In this instance the cam 14 hits upon the plane front edge 18a of the ratchet disc 18 and moves the same together with the bolt 6 and sleeve 2 toward the outside against the thrust of spring 3.

Referring now to the embodiment shown in Figs. 7 to 10, the arrangement illustrated therein is very similar to that described in connection with Figs. 1 to 6 and, therefore, similar parts in the arrangement of Figs. 7 to 10 have been designated with the same numerals as in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 6 however, with the additional character a. The arrangement of Figs. 7 to 10 differs from that of Figs. 1 to 6 primarily in that the ratchet disc 18a has been inserted into the bolt 6a so that the nose 20a points upwardly. The wedge-shaped finger 30 has the shape of a hook and is journalled in a bearing yoke 32 so that its axis of rotation 31 is parallel to the cam shaft axis 10a. This bearing yoke is slipped over the sleeve 2a and is pressed by means of the spring 3a against the casing 1a of the internal combustion engine. The wedge-shaped finger 30 is continuously acted upon by a coiled bending spring 33 which continuously urges the finger 30 to move in clockwise direction with regard to Fig. 7. The bearing shaft 12a of the ratchet disc 181: carries a roller 34 which is engaged by the edge 35 of the wedge-shaped finger 30. When the bolt 6a is moved inwardly, i. e. toward the left with regard to Fig. 7, the roller 34 tilts the finger 30 in counter-clockwise direction with regard to Fig. 7 so that the tip of the hook-shaped finger passes beneath the valve tappet 36 and lifts the valve. The sections Ztla and 20'b in the arrangement of Figs. 7 to 10 correspond to the sections 20a and 20b in the arrangement of Figs. 1 to 6. All other parts in the arrangement of Figs. 7 to 10 correspond to those of the arrangement of Figs. 1 to 6.

Operation of the embodiment of Figs. 7 to 10 The arrangement of Figs. 7 to 10 operates in the same manner as that described in connection with Figs. 1 to 6. However, the intermediate position corresponding to that of Fig. 3 and appearing between Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 positions has not been shown. Furthermore, in contrast to the operation of the device of Figs. 1 to 6, with the arrangement of Figs. '7 to 10, the movement of the ratchet disc 18a is not effected by the cam 14a of the valve tappet 16 but by a small auxiliary cam 37 (Fig. 10) which is congruent to the cam 14 and is ground simultaneously therewith. As will be evident from Fig. 10, also the finger 30 has its front end ofiset.

The arrow 27 in Fig. 7 indicates the direction of rotation of the cam shaft 10a which direction of rotation is opposite to that of cam shaft 10 of Figs. l-S.

A comparison of the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 6 with that of Figs. 7 to 10 will show that the same type of structural elements have been employed to a great extent. This has the advantage that the arrangement according to the invention, by using the same type of elements and by installing the same in a different way while exchanging a few parts, can easily be adapted to different designs of-engines and can be employed for both directions of rotation of the cam shafts. This fact is highly beneficial with regard to the stocking up of parts for engines of different series. Furthermore, due to the fact that a great number of the same parts can be used for the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 6- and for the embodiment of Figs. 7 to 10, the cost of production is considerably reduced.

It is, of course, understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to' the specific constructions shown in the drawings but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for moving a valve element of an internal combustion engine away from the rotatable cam shaft normally cooperating therewith, for, decompressing said engine while it is being started, the combination of: cam means fixedly connected to said shaft for rotation therewith, a control member movable in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said cam shaft from an ineffective position into an operative position and vice versa, lifter means carried by said control member and arranged in response to the movement of said control member into said operative position to move between said valve element and said cam shaft thereby moving said valve element away from said cam shaft to thereby prevent actuation of said valve element by said cam shaft, control means supported by said control member and arranged for actuation by said cam means in response to said control member occupying its operative position, said control means being movable in steps through a predetermined angle by a plurality of successive revolutions of said cam means, and means responsive to the movement of said control means through said predetermined angle for returning said control member to its inoperative position while simultaneously withdrawing said lifter means from between said valve element and said cam shaft.

2. In a device for moving a valve element of an internal combustion engine away from the rotatable cam shaft normally cooperating therewith, for decompressing said engine while it is being started, the combination of: cam-means fixedly connected to said shaft for rotation therewith, a control member movable in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said cam shaft from with said control member and arranged in cooperation with said spring means and is responsive to the movement of said control member into its operative position to maintain said control member in said operative position, said control means including a rotatable element arranged for actuation by said cam means when said control member occupies its operative position, said control means being adapted in response to a certain number of rotations of said cam shaft following'the first actuation of said rotatable element by said cam means to a make said locking means ineffective thereby allowing said spring means to return said control member into its ineffective position while simultaneously withdrawing said lifting means from between said cam shaft and said valve element.

3. In a device for moving a valve element of an internal combustion engine away from the rotatable cam shaft normally cooperating therewith, for decompressing said engine while it is being started, the combination of: cam

means fixedly connected to said cam shaft, a control member movable in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said cam shaft from an ineffective position into an operative position and vice versa, ratchet means supported by said control member and being rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said cam shaft, said ratchet means being movable into the range of said cam means in response to the movement of said control member into its operative position and when in range of said cam means being successively rotatable thereby by certain angles respectively in response to a plurality of rotations of said cam means, lifting means carried by said control member and arranged in response to the movement of said control member into said operative position to enter between said cam shaft and said valve element for moving the latter away from said cam shaft to thereby prevent actuation of said valve element, and means associated with said control member and responsive to a certain rotation of said lifting means to automatically withdraw said lifting means from between said valve element and said cam shaft to thereby allow the latter to actuate said valve element while simultaneously returning said control member to its ineffective position.

4. In a device for moving a valve element of an internal combustion engine away from the rotatable cam shaft normally cooperating therewith, for decompressing said engine while it is being started, the combination of: cam means fixedly connected to said shaft for rotation therewith, a control member movable in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said cam shaft from an ineffective position into an operative position and vice versa, the direction of movement of said control member being substantially perpendicular to the axis of movement of said valve element, a substantially wedge-shaped lifting finger carried by said control memher and tiltable about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said cam shaft, said finger being arranged in response to the movement of said control member into said operative position to enter between said cam shaft and said valve element thereby moving said valve element away from said cam shaft and preventing the same from actuating said valve element, control means supported by said control member and arranged for actuation by said cam means in response to said control member occupying its operative position, said control means being movable in steps through a certain angle by a plurality of successive revolutions of said cam means, and means responsive to the movement of said control means through said certain angle for returning said control member to its inoperative position while simultaneously withdrawing said lifting finger from between said valve element and said cam shaft to thereby allow said valve element to return to its normal position for actuation by said cam shaft.

5. A device according to claim 1, in which said lifter means is tiltable about an axis transverse to the direction of movement of said control member and parallel to the axis of rotation of said cam shaft.

6. In a device for moving a valve element of an internal combustion engine away from the rotatable cam sha t normally cooperating therewith, for decompressing said engine While it is being started, the combination of: cam means fixedly connected to said shaft for rotation therewith, a control member movable in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said cam shaft from an inc c-Cil'v'fi position into an operative position and vice versa, the direction of movement of said control member and the direction of movement of said valve element forming with each other an angle greater than 90, stationary supporting means arranged adjacent said control member, a stud supported by said stationary supporting means, a lifting member tiltably supported by said stud and having a hook-shaped end, spring means associated with said lifting member and continuously urging said hook-shaped end of said lifting member into ineffective position out of engagement with said valve element, roller means supported by said control member and operable in response to the movement of said control member into operative position to engage said lifting member and to force said hook-shaped end between said cam shaft and said valve element while moving the latter away from said cam shaft thereby preventing said cam shaft from actuating said valve element, control means .ipported by said control member and arranged for actuation by said cam means in response to said control member occupying its operative position, said control means being movable in steps through a predetermined angle by a plurality of successive revolutions of said cam means, and means responsive to the movement of said control means through said predetermined angle for returning said control member to its inoperative position while simultaneously moving said roller means into a position to allow said spring means to lift said hookshaped end out from between said cam shaft and said valve element to thereby allow normal actuation of said valve element by said cam shaft.

7. In a device for moving a valve element of an internal combustion engine away from the rotatable cam shaft normally cooperating therewith, for decompressing said engine while it is being started, the combination of: cam means fixedly connected to said shaft for rotation therewith, a stationary casing, guiding means slidably mounted in said casing, yieldable means continuously urging said guiding means in the direction toward said cam shaft, a control bolt movable in said guiding means in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said cam shaft from an ineffective position into an operative position and vice versa, that end of said bolt which is adjacent said cam shaft being provided with an axial slit having its open sides confined to a considerable extent by said guiding means when said bolt is in its ineffective position, stud means extending transverse through said slit and in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of said cam shaft, a control disc rotatably supported by said stud means and provided with a nose adapted when said bolt is in its ineffective position to extend into that portion of said slit the open sides of which are confined by said guiding means, said disc also being provided with cutouts adapted to be moved into the range of said cam means for successive engagement with said cam means during successive rotation of said cam means, spring means associated with said disc and arranged in response to the movement of said bolt into operative position to move said nose out of said slit while moving said cutouts into the range of said cam means, said disc being provided with arcuate edge portions having their center of curvature located on the axis of said stud means, said guiding means being provided with an arcuate surface corresponding to the arcuate edge portions of said disc, wedge-shaped finger means tiltably supported by said bolt and operable in response to the movement of said bolt into operative position to enter between said valve element and said cam shaft for moving said valve element away from said cam shaft to prevent actuation of said valve element by said cam shaft, said disc being movable in steps through a predetermined angle by a plurality of successive revolutions of said cam means and engagement of the latter with said cutouts through a predetermined angle while said disc is temporarily held at the end of each step in its respective position by frictional engagement of said arcuate edge portions with the arcuate surface of said guiding means until said nose is in alignment with said slit, and additional spring means associated with sad bolt and automatically returning said bolt to its ineffective position when said nose following the movement of said disc through said predetermined angle faces said slit.

8. In a device for mow'ng a valve element of an internal combustion engine away from the rotatable cam shaft normally cooperating therewith, for decompressing said engine while it is being started, the combination of: cam means fixedly connected to said shaft for rotation therewith, a control member movable in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said cam shaft from an ineffective position into an operative position and vice versa, stud means carried by said control member and having its axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said cam means, wedge-shaped lifter means tiltably mounted on said stud means and arranged in response to the movement of said control member into said operative position to move said valve element away from said cam shaft to thereby prevent actuation of said valve element by said cam shaft, control disc means rotatably mounted on said stud means and arranged for actuation by said cam means in response to said control member occupying its operative position, said control disc means being movable in steps through a predetermined angle by a plurality of successive revolutions of said cam means, and means responsive to the movement of said control disc means through said predetermined angle for returning said control member to its inoperative position while simultaneously withdrawing said lifter means from between said valve element and said cam shaft.

9. In a device for moving a valve element of an internal combustion engine away from the rotatable cam shaft normally cooperating therewith, for decompressing said engine While it is being started, the combination of: cam means fixedly connected to said shaft for rotation therewith, a control member movable in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said cam shaft from an ineffective position into an operative position and vice versa, yieldably mounted guiding means serving as hearing and guiding means for said control member, lifter means carried by said control member .and arranged in response to the movement thereof into said operative position to move said valve element away from said cam shaft to thereby prevent actuation of said valve element by said cam shaft, a control disc supported by said control member and arranged for actuation by said cam means in response to said control member occupying its operative position, said control disc being movable by said cam means in steps through a predetermined angle by a plurality of successive revolutions of said cam shaft, said control disc and said guiding means having arcuate surface areas of the same diameter arranged for frictional enagement with each other at the end of each of said steps for frictionally maintaining said control disc in its respective position, and means responsive to the movement of said control disc through said predetermined angle for returning said control member to its inoperative position while simultaneously withdrawing said lifter means from between said valve element and said cam shaft.

10. In a device for moving a valve element of an internal combustion engine away from the rotatable cam shaft normally cooperating therewith, for decompressing said engine while it is being started, the combination of: cam means fixedly connected to said shaft for rotation therewith, a control member movable in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said cam shaft from an ineffective position into an operative position and vice versa, lifter means carried by said control -memher and arranged in response to the movement of said control member into said operative position to move said valve element away from said cam shaft to thereby prevent actuation of said valve element by said cam shaft, stud means extending through said control member and having its axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said cam shaft, a control disc rotatably mounted on said stud means and arranged for actuationby said cam means in response to said control member occupying its operative position, spring means associated with said control disc and arranged continuously to urge said control disc to rotate into position for engagement with said cam means, abutment means associated with said control member to limit said last mentioned rotative movement of said control disc, said control disc being movable in steps through a predetermined angle by a plurality of successive revolutions of said cam means in a direction opposite to said rotative movement by said spring means, and means responsive to the movement of said control disc through said predetermined angle for returning said control member to its inoperative position while simultaneously withdrawing said lifter means from between said valve element and said cam shaft.

11. In a device for moving a valve element of an internal combustion engine away from the rotatable cam shaft normally cooperating therewith, for decompressing said engine while it is being started, the combination of:

cam means fixedly connected to said shaft for rotation therewith, a control member movable in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said cam shaft from an ineffective position into an operative position and vice versa, lifter means carried by said control member and arranged in response to the movement of said control member into said operative position to move between said valve element and said cam shaft tothereby prevent actuation of said valve element by said cam means, control means supported by said control member and arranged for actuation by said cam means in response to said control member occupying its operative position, said control means being movable in steps through a predetermined angle by a plurality of successive revolutions of said cam means, and means responsive to the movement of said control means through said predetermined angle for returning said control member to its inoperative position while simultaneously withdrawing said lifter means from between said valve element and said cam shaft.

12. In a device for moving a valve element of an internal combustion engine away from the rotatable cam shaft normally cooperating therewith, for decompressing said engine while it is being started, the combination of: cam means fixedly connected to said shaft for actuating said valve element, said valve element protruding laterally beyond said cam means, a control member movable in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said cam shaft from an ineffective position into an op erative position and vice versa, lifter means carried by said control member and arranged in response to the movement of said control member into said operative position to move between said laterally protruding portion of said valve element and the adjacent cam shaft portion to move said valve element away from said cam means to thereby prevent the latter from actuating said valve element, control means supported by said control member and arranged for actuation by said cam means in response to said control member occupying its operative position, said control means being movable in steps through a predetermined angle by a plurality of successive revolutions of said cam means, and means responsive to the movement of said control means through said predetermined angle for returning said control member to its inoperative position while simultaneously withdrawing said lifter means from between said valve element and said camshaft.

13. In a device for moving a valve element of an internal combustion engine away from the rotatable cam shaft normally cooperating therewith, for decompressing said engine while it is being started, the combination of: first cam means fixedly connected to said shaft for actuating said valve element, second cam means fixedly connected to said shaft for rotation therewith and located laterally of said valye element and said first cam means, a control member movable in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said cam shaft from an ineffective position into an operative position and vice versa, wedge-shaped lifter means carried by said control member and arranged in response to the movement of said control member into said operative position to move said valve element away from said first cam means to prevent the latter from actuating said valve element, control means supported by said control member and arranged for actuation by said second cam means in response to said control member occupying its operative position, said control means being movable in steps through a predetermined angle by a plurality of successive revolutions of said second cam means, and means responsive to the movement of said control means through said predetermined angle for returning said control member to its inoperative position while simultaneously Withdrawing said lifter means from between said valve element and said cam shaft and withdrawing said control means from engagement with said second cam means.

14. In a device for moving a valve element of an internal combustion engine away from the rotatable cam shaft normally cooperating therewith, for decompressing said engine while it is being started, the combination of: cam means fixedly connected to said shaft for rotation therewith, a casing, a sleeve yieldably mounted in said casing, a control member movably mounted within said sleeve and movable in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said cam shaft from an inoperative position into an operative position and vice versa, supporting means mounted on said sleeve, stud means supported by said supporting means, a hook-shaped lever tiltably supported by said stud means, spring means associated with said lever continuously urging said lever away from said valve element and said valve shaft, roller means supported by said control member and arranged in response to the movement of said control member into operative position to engage and move the hook-shaped end of said lever between said cam shaft and said valve element while simultaneously lifting said valve element away from said cam shaft to thereby prevent said cam shaft from actuating said valve element, control means supported by said control member and arranged for actuation by said cam means in response to said control member occupying its operative position, said control means being movable in steps through a predetermined angle by a plurality of successive revolutions of said cam means, and means responsive to the movement of said control means through said predetermined angle for returning said control member to its inoperative position while simultaneously allowing said spring means to withdraw said lever from between said valve element and said cam shaft so as to allow normal actuation of said valve element.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 

